The aim of this study is to contribute to greater knowledge of the basis on which teachers award grades and how they view the national test. Five upper secondary school teachers of Swedish were asked in semi-structured interviews to say what significance they ascribe to the national test in general, what reasons they can see to explain why the course grade differs from the test grade, how they reasoned when they awarded a course grade that differed from the grade on the national test, and how they view a strengthened and clearer relationship between national tests and course grades in order to increase equivalence in Swedish schools. The material was then analysed with a method inspired by phenomenology. The study shows that there is no agreement in the outlook on the national test. One of the teachers does not think that the national test is more important than other tests, three think that it is more important, and one uses the national test chiefly to confirm previous results. There are three reasons why the course grade can differ from the national test grade: (1) the design of the test, (2) that the test result does not reflect the pupil’s knowledge and skills, and (3) that the teacher deliberately awards a wrong grade. The teachers was to see greater equivalence. Some think that a clearer and stronger relationship between national tests and course grades is not the right way to go, while others are in favour of the suggestion. Regardless of their opinion, however, most of the teachers wonder how it will be possible in practice to link the test grade to the course grade.

The English language plays an important role as a lingua franca in Sweden as well as in many countries across the European Union (EU). The ability to communicate well in English is highly valued and as a response to this, communicative competence has had an increasingly major part in the English language education and curriculums all over Europe, including the Swedish curriculum for English language education. (Rindal & Piercy, 2013; Swedish National Agency for Education, 1995; Tornberg, 2015). With communication as a primary goal of the Swedish curriculum for English, the importance of acquiring an inner-circle accent, an accent spoken by native speakers of English, has had to take a step back, without thoroughly studying the effect it has on the communicative competence and speaking confidence of the students. The aim of this study is to investigate, with an empirical approach, if student’s self-perceived English accent impacts positively or negatively on their speaking confidence and communicative competence. The study was conducted using an empirical and descriptive approach, with a quantitative data analysis. The investigation was conducted in an upper-secondary school, using a web-based survey with 80 respondents from the second and third grade. The students took English 6, a course the students must pass to be eligible for further academic studies. The school and the respondents were chosen using a convenience sample. The results were analysed, and the data was shown using figures to explain the results further. The results of the study concluded that students seem to think that having a native-like accent is overvalued and that communication is to favour over their perceived English accent. It is somewhat conclusive that most of the students value communication over perceived accent, and many of them say that they do not care how they sound as long as what they say is conveyed.

There is very little focus in previous research on first language (L1) use by teachers in the upper secondary English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom from the students’ perspective. In this context and from a Swedish perspective, this thesis examines what attitudes students in the Swedish upper secondary school have towards their teachers’ use of L1 (Swedish) in the EFL-classroom. The method used was qualitative semi-structured interviews, where nine students in total were interviewed. The collected data was then coded, thematized and categorized. The results show that the students mainly believed Swedish should be used when teaching vocabulary, when teaching grammar and for classroom management. They did not believe the L1 should be used by them in questions and answers and in general talk in the classroom. They also endorsed an overall judicious use of Swedish by their teachers and that their use of this language should be adjusted to the specific teaching group. Finally, it can be concluded that further research is needed on how the L1 can be used judiciously in particular situations and on what attitudes students of varying proficiency and age, as well as students who do not have Swedish as their L1 have towards teachers’ L1 use in the EFL-classroom.

Swedish school pupils are taught English from a very young age. Many speak English at a very high level thanks to this and also thanks to readily available television programmes in English, mostly from America but also from Britain. Some, including Marko Modiano argue that the English spoken in Sweden could be a new variety. There is some evidence in support of this in the form of previous studies showing to what degree American and British English is mixed by Swedes. The present study aims at exploring if there are any recurring patterns in the way Swedish upper secondary school students mix American and British English as well as possible underlying reasons. This was done by recording 32 informants at an upper secondary school in Stockholm while reading a list of words and sentences designed to elicit phonetic markers that separate American English from British English. The data from the recordings is complemented by a short questionnaire. Here the informants are asked about their preference for English varieties and what they believe the preference of English varieties is for their teacher, the school, their textbooks as well as what they watch on television and if they have ever been or would like to go to an English speaking country. Concerning whether or not the informants mix American and British English or not, the results clearly show that most believe they do, although most of them seem to favour American English on the whole. There seems to be an overall tendency to use rhotic /r/ and there were some differences between male and female informants. Looking at the results of the present study compared to previous studies there is a connection in that formal text types like word lists elicit more British English than less formal text types do. Concerning what they watch on television, nearly all informants watch American television shows and this could be, in part, responsible for the tendency to favour the American variety. Regarding other influences, there was some uncertainty, especially when they were asked what they believed was preferred in the textbooks and by their teachers. Though it seems most believe that British English is preferred over American English except for the school in general where most believe that both varieties are preferred equally.

From the 1960s to the present, the Swedish school has undergone quite a few major reforms, including three new national curricula. The aim of this literature review is to investigate what previous research says about curriculum reform regarding second language teaching and learning in general, and English as a second language in particular. Through analysis of the chosen seven sources, there is some evidence that curriculum reform has affected second language learning and teaching. Especially when it comes to the implementation of curriculum, a subject syllabus plays an essential role in the process of transmitting knowledge, and the dynamic of the classroom is changing, which entails that both teachers’ role and students’ roles are shifting. The teacher is not the only source of knowledge any more, and students do not just sit in the classroom and listen to the teacher. Students’ influence is highlighted both in the curriculum and in the classroom. Communicative competence has become the focus of the teaching and learning of a second language.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the use of literature within the Swedish Upper Secondary EFL-classroom from the students’ perspective. How do the students in the study relate to literature and its use to enhance and enable their communicative competence and cultural understanding? Also, how do their answers compare with their teacher’s and the adult perspectives and findings from previous international research? The empirical data obtained from the study has been analysed from the perspectives of sociocultural and motivational theory, and the findings show that the participating students believe literature to be a good didactic tool to apply in the EFL-classroom, both in order to enhance their communicative competence and their cultural understanding. The students prefer to have a sociocultural approach to their literature-learning, with group-discussions of various sizes. The key for the students in this respect is interesting, relevant and engaging subject-matter, as well as a positive and motivational teacher. The responses given by the students correlate with those given by their teacher as well as previous international research. The students regard literature as a way of gaining new perspectives, as well as experiencing language in use. Where they diverge somewhat from the international research is in regard to literature’s use for enhancing their competence to speak in class, and that some students seem to think that communication and cultural understanding are separable. Future studies within this field might include the conducting of a larger and more in-depth survey regarding the students’ ideas about literature, culture and communication. Why do so many of the student respondents neither agree nor disagree with the statement concerning communication and cultural understanding being inseparable? This can be an important issue to investigate in today’s global climate of cross-cultural and intercultural experiences, especially in view of the political climate of diverse attitudes towards refugees, immigrants and emigration

The aim of this essay is to investigate Swedish upper secondary pupils’ attitudes towards reading in English. 190 pupils from three different schools in southern Sweden have answered a questionnaire in order to find out about what they think about reading in English and where they think the importance lies. The results show that a majority of the pupils find reading instructive, and generally a positive attitude is shown. When it comes to the importance, many pupil regard reading as a tool for them to develop their language, since the reading gives them new vocabulary, and an understanding for grammar and sentence structure.  The results also show minor differences between girls and boys, and between the pupils who study a vocational programme and those studying an academic programme.

My aim with this paper is to see whether there are any differences, when it comes to learning English, between students in practical and theoretical programs at upper secondary school in Sweden. I have looked at what differences there are when the students begin the programs and how the English A course differs in material, the students’ influence on their own studies and the atmosphere in the classrooms. Earlier studies have shown that adolescents from the lower social classes more often choose a practical program while students from higher social classes tend to choose a theoretical program. The students’ grades from lower-secondary school have an influence on the choice of program as well. Those with low grades from elementary school frequently choose a practical program whereas students with better grades more often choose a theoretical program. Though in my study, the students’ former grades did not differ that much. Further, studies have shown that students who would like to learn languages are divided into two types. The students are either so-called instrumental or integrative learners. My study showed that integrative exercises are used more often than instrumental exercises in upper-secondary school. Unfortunately, there are also some students that do not want to learn a second language at all and such students are in almost every class but they can be found more often in practical courses. To conclude, I found out in my study that there were differences between the courses in theoretical and practical programs. The differences affected the students in a way that made it easier to achieve a better grade in English in a theoretical program.

The increased usage of media and technology has not only opened new areas for bullies, but also made the visible form of bullying invisible. In addition, movements like ‘me too’ have blossomed showing that sexual harassment is and has been a prevalent issue in the Western world for a long time. Simultaneously, adolescents’ suicide rates have increased. Therefore, selecting a Young Adult (YA) novel like 13 Reasons Why for the English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom may work to address these topical issues and possibly help students understand the consequences of bullying and sexual harassment.

Winterson’s Written on the Body is an experimental and provocative novel that challenges the reader’s mindset as well as society’s heteronormativity by implicitly questioning societal norms and fundamental values. With an unusual protagonist as a point of departure, upper secondary school students in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom can discuss important political and social issues and giving them the chance to become more open-minded and inclusive towards all people regardless of one’s sex, gender, and, or sexuality. This essay shows that Written on the Body with its unusual, queer protagonist challenges the heteronormativity in modern Western societies and instead of solely focusing on students’ language development during their English education, they are invited to interrupt and question set attitudes, behaviours, and traditions in modern Western societies.